If high-quality teachers need five years to become just that, and half leave before then, the teacher drop-out rate suddenly becomes just as important as the student drop-out rate. After all, teachers spend more waking hours with our children than parents do and can determine how much – or how little – information will be shared with students.

Not surprisingly, those exiting teachers who were surveyed did mention low pay as a determining factor for leaving, as well as poor student behavior. But, the number one reason teachers gave for leaving the classroom was the lack of a supportive school environment. Disorganization and the absence of time management support are major causes of “overwhelm” for many teachers.

Contrary to popular belief, teaching ain’t a 9 to 3 job. Just ask any teacher what a typical day is like, and you’ll understand why I call teacher summer breaks “comp time” for the overtime they work during the school year.

National Teacher Appreciation Week 2017

This “holiday” is traditionally a time when teachers receive little baubles and trinkets in their mailboxes each day of the week or a free taco breakfast on Friday morning. I’d like to suggest that schools, organizations, and parents who support teachers give a different kind of gift this year during Teacher Appreciation Week 2017 (May 8 – 12):

Look your son or daughter’s teacher in the eye and just say, “Thank you.”

Gift your favorite teacher 30 minutes and ask how you can help her or him.

Make a 5-minute appointment with your son or daughter’s principal and let the principal know why you appreciate your son or daughter’s teacher. Even better – ask the teacher to be present! (Teachers usually only get called in for bad stuff, so what a treat this will be!)

Give your favorite teacher a gift card to Goodwill so they can purchase supplies for their classroom – or whatever they’d like to purchase there! They get more bang for their buck, plus the revenue from the gift card funds job training programs in your community.

Give your favorite teacher a gift card to a restaurant. Teachers usually only have 22 to 27 minutes to wolf down their lunches (and squeeze in a restroom break), so it’ll be nice for them to sit and thoroughly chew a nice meal.

Take your favorite teacher out for a coffee and give them 15 minutes to just vent – then talk about the good stuff going on in life.

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week 2017, are you ready to help provide that support that teachers so desperately need?

If you know of a school that could benefit from stress relief, please forward this post to the principal or curriculum director. If you can’t purchase any books for teachers or don’t know who to share this with, but you want to show your support, I ask you to do just one little thing: Find a former teacher of yours who made a difference in your life and say thank you. That will make a teacher’s day!

About Author

Helene Segura fixes time. She teaches professionals on the go how to get control of their time management so they can do more in less time - and have a life outside of work. Helene delivers mind-bending time management keynotes and productivity workshops to associations, conferences, and businesses that want to increase revenue, lower stress levels and Kick Chaos to the Curb! The author of two Amazon best-selling books, Helene has been a featured productivity expert in over 100 media appearances including Inc., US News & World Report and Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS affiliates. In The Inefficiency Assassin’s spare time, she enjoys taste-testing new recipes, planning her next travel adventure, and playing boules with aperitif in hand.

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"Helene Segura fixes time." I teach professionals on the go how to get control of their time management so they can do more in less time - and have a life outside of work. As The Inefficiency Assassin, I deliver mind-bending time management keynotes and productivity workshops to associations, conferences, and businesses that want to increase revenue, lower stress levels and Kick Chaos to the Curb! The author of three books (two of which are Amazon best-sellers), I've been a featured productivity expert in more than 150 media appearances including Inc., US News & World Report and Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS affiliates. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, experimenting with recipes, occasionally correctly pairing food with wine, and trying not to shatter glass when I attempt to sing. I look forward to working with you!